How tough is jaw surgery emotionally?

[nrelax11]

For those who have been tbrough it. Ive been through a lot in my short 25 years so far, and I just want to know if I'll handle it well. Im currently already going through a lot as is, so I hope im prepared for whats to come.

[Gregor Samsa]

It's definitely tough if it doesn't turn out the way you expected it to. What's why it's important to discuss with the surgeon what you can expect from the surgery.

[nrelax11]

Yea im not expecting anything major look wise. I dont think im going to come out a model lol. I think all I want out of this surgery is too be able to close my mouth comfortably because im always clenching it shut and to have a better side profile. I actually didnt become self conscious about that untill coming on here :p Lol, no, I always knew something was f**ked up with it, and now I know. Oh, and reduce the length of my face.

I just dont want to have a break down after surgery since im dealing with other personal things too. Im prepared to do my best to put myself at ease the weeks prior to my surgery so I wont be as stressed.

[nrelax11]

Like I've read others say before, I wish I was kind of going into this surgery somewhat blindly.  Just knowing the things my surgeon tells me lol. And also what someone told me before, the wait is what f**ks with you. It gives me too much time to think of things and observing myself physically. I have to learn to not be so hard on myself. Thanks for the responses guys and gals. Should be one hella of a f**king ride:D

And yea I agree, theyre should defiantly be a psych exam beforehand.

[stravinsky]

I'm sure that before my surgery I would've passed a psych exam no problem, but I had a lousy result and nine months post-op I'm emotionally messed up. Clinical depression and certainly symptoms of BDD. Of course in my case there are other external factors that have contributed to this, but I think this kind of thing really has the power to shake someone up. Lots of people, maybe most, have a good result and can move on pretty quickly, but emotional trauma, obsessive behaviour, major depression, etc., which all impair day-to-day functioning, are risks that surgery candidates should be aware of, especially if looks are an important part of the decision to undergo surgery (and I think they almost always are). A poor result can mean a lot more than just a poor result, if you know what I mean.

[nrelax11]

I'm sure that before my surgery I would've passed a psych exam no problem, but I had a lousy result and nine months post-op I'm emotionally messed up. Clinical depression and certainly symptoms of BDD. Of course in my case there are other external factors that have contributed to this, but I think this kind of thing really has the power to shake someone up. Lots of people, maybe most, have a good result and can move on pretty quickly, but emotional trauma, obsessive behaviour, major depression, etc., which all impair day-to-day functioning, are risks that surgery candidates should be aware of, especially if looks are an important part of the decision to undergo surgery (and I think they almost always are). A poor result can mean a lot more than just a poor result, if you know what I mean.

Im sorry to hear about your situation Stravinsky.  What went wrong if you dont mind me asking?

[PloskoPlus]

nrelax11,

I never knew what lip incompetence was until I started researching jaw surgery.  It must really suck.  Does your mouth dry out? 
Take no offence, but gummy smiles suck.  Again, I had no idea that they were fixable.  IMO, you're gonna benefit tremendously on both counts.  Also apparently recovering from upper jaw surgery is a piece of cake compared to lower jaw surgery, let alone double jaw surgery. 

Good luck.

[nrelax11]

nrelax11,

I never knew what lip incompetence was until I started researching jaw surgery.  It must really suck.  Does your mouth dry out? 
Take no offence, but gummy smiles suck.  Again, I had no idea that they were fixable.  IMO, you're gonna benefit tremendously on both counts.  Also apparently recovering from upper jaw surgery is a piece of cake compared to lower jaw surgery, let alone double jaw surgery. 

Good luck.

Thanks  PluskoPlus and no offence taken. My gummy smile seemed to have come on gradually along with my lip incompetence. Looking back at my senior year high school photos, I had nowhere near the amount of gum show I have now, and I dont recall having lip incompetence untill noticing it about 3 or 4 years ago. Right when I noticed something was off I started becoming self conscious but never looked into anything.  I was took busy dealing with s**t. Now its like my mouth is constantly on my mind and can never get it comfortable.  Its going to be a huge relief to once again be able to relax my mouth comfortably and no longer have to worry about this stupid crap. I have learned a great deal from researching and through this site, so thats cool. I love the human anatomy anyways and just finding out how everything in the body works together.

Oh and for your question. My mouth doesnt seem to dry out that much because I actually breath mostly through my nose since I had my septoplasty last year. My lips get dry through and probably doesnt help that I lick them all the time .

[Tiny]

I think it depends on the outcome.   I know that for my septo-rhino, it was tough looking at my swollen nose, feeling crap because I had such high hopes for the surgery and it was still looking so far from what I wanted and I just had to wait and wait, after what felt like years of waiting before the op.  I wanted to look better NOW!  I felt worse after 1 year when it could not be denied the result is far from great and I need a revision (and have to spend even more)  However I think a lot of the anger and disappointment is from the fact I paid SO much for my rhino and still have to do a revision, and I really regret not going to a cheaper surgeon because I could have got just as decent a result for a quarter of the price.  That is something that will affect jaw surgery patients too, because it is so expensive.

However, I don't have an identity issues with my "new" nose at all and do not envision issues like this with my jaws either.

If the results are good then you could well get an enormous mental boost - when I got my chin lipo and they removed the bandage post-op, I was literally so happy I cried.  Something that I hated so much and had been plaguing my looks my whole life - just gone.  I felt great an when I look at older pictures I think "I am SO SO glad I got that fixed"

[ticktickatick]

Yea im not expecting anything major look wise. I dont think im going to come out a model lol. I think all I want out of this surgery is too be able to close my mouth comfortably because im always clenching it shut and to have a better side profile. I actually didnt become self conscious about that untill coming on here :p Lol, no, I always knew something was f**ked up with it, and now I know. Oh, and reduce the length of my face.

I just dont want to have a break down after surgery since im dealing with other personal things too. Im prepared to do my best to put myself at ease the weeks prior to my surgery so I wont be as stressed.

I think I was similar to you pre-surgery...

I knew I had some functional issues. Mouth breathing. Waking up with dry mouth and sore throat. Chapped lips constantly. My bite was never quite right even after years of braces. As a teenager my mother would always harp on me to stop "gawking" and also to chew with my lips closed.

Face seemed off. My smiling face was okay or even pretty good. But I didn't like my non-smiling at rest face at all, but couldn't figure out why. I also did not like my profile but wasn't sure why on that either.

Like you I became a LOT more self conscious after going online and learning names for things, like lip incompetence, retrognathia, diminished lower third, vertical maxillary excess. I now mentally notice "good jaws" and "bad jaws" in the people I see.

It is more difficult than you can prepare for, both physically and mentally.

Right now I think the physical recovery is harder than the mental though. But I didn't go on with as high expectations...like you said I'm not trying to look like a model.

Things that have been hardest for me

- Not being active (even though I can do moderate activity now I tire sooooo quickly)
- Not being able to talk normally
- Swelling recovery has been two steps forward, one step back
- Coming out of surgery and seeing your face like a balloon is a real shocker
- Getting enough calories if you have a high metabolism is difficult
- NOT BEING ABLE TO EAT NORMAL FOOD
- General pain during the first 2 weeks
- I got these "itching teeth" sensations that drove me nuts for the first 3 weeks. Like you have something stuck in your gum that you need to floss but there is NOTHING there and nothing you can do about it. It's a nerve recovery thing.
- Drooling drooling drooling
- Not being able to feel when there is food on your lower lip and chin
- Messy eating also because of numbness
- Lots and lots of distracting tingling in my chin

I avoided mirrors for the first 2 weeks and think that is the best way to go, there is too much swelling then to do any helpful analysis of your face anyway.

I personally overestimated the emotional pain and underestimated the physical pain.

[nrelax11]

Thanks for all the details ticktickatick   Ive mentioned this before, but I think my biggest fear is breathing right after surgery and the first couple days. Last time I had anaesthesia,  I could barely breath for those first few moments waking up, but I still could breath out of my mouth. Cant do that as well this time lol. Ita good to hear though that it was more physically harder for you than mentally. At this point in my life, I can handle physical agony easier than mental.

Thanks again and I hope your recovery is going well

[ticktickatick]

Thanks for all the details ticktickatick   Ive mentioned this before, but I think my biggest fear is breathing right after surgery and the first couple days. Last time I had anaesthesia,  I could barely breath for those first few moments waking up, but I still could breath out of my mouth. Cant do that as well this time lol. Ita good to hear though that it was more physically harder for you than mentally. At this point in my life, I can handle physical agony easier than mental.

Thanks again and I hope your recovery is going well

Yeah I kind of had that sensation too. Are you getting wired shut? I was banded shut with elastics but could still breathe through my mouth. I think it's only an issue if you're wired shut for IVRO

[nrelax11]

Im going to be wired shut for a week :/ My surgeon said he still likes doing it for a week because he's had good results like that, but he said eventually he'll most likely move to bands. I remember reading a blog of a girl who had my surgeon, and was wired shut for two weeks,  but that was in 2010 or 11 I think, so hes using the wires less and less. Use to use them for 6 weeks

[ticktickatick]

Im going to be wired shut for a week :/ My surgeon said he still likes doing it for a week because he's had good results like that, but he said eventually he'll most likely move to bands. I remember reading a blog of a girl who had my surgeon, and was wired shut for two weeks,  but that was in 2010 or 11 I think, so hes using the wires less and less. Use to use them for 6 weeks

Well I think in the end your body's instincts will kick in...it HAS to breathe

[nrelax11]

Yea, and I heard the nasal spray is pretty helpful too. I'll be using that like clockwork